


It's Been A While

by goldenkc



Category: Girl Meets World
Genre: F/M, Future AU, School Reunion, fast paced but i don't even care anymore, lowkey angst, lowkey fluff, lucaya have a rocky relationship, smarkle are THAT genius powercouple and are slowly taking over the world, ziley are adorable and in love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-14
Updated: 2017-11-14
Packaged: 2019-02-01 23:04:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,432
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12714600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/goldenkc/pseuds/goldenkc
Summary: it's been ten years since their class graduated from high school. most went in different directions, some stayed for a while, some never left. but they're all back together again for the 10 year reunion. lucas and maya haven't seen each other in years after a fallout following a bad breakup, but zay has something to say about that.





	It's Been A While

**Author's Note:**

> 28 year old clique six cast:  
> Britt Robertson as Maya Hart  
> Scott Eastwood as Lucas Friar  
> Lily Collins as Riley Matthews  
> Andrew Garfield as Farkle Minkus  
> Vanessa Hudgens as Isadora Smackle  
> Michael B. Jordan as Zay Babineaux

The best friends are seated at their table, surrounded by people they haven’t seen since high school or college. “ _John Adams Ten Year Reunion!_ ” read one of the signs. Maya didn’t think she’d ever return to this building after graduation, yet there she sat, having been convinced for months by the bubbling brunette beside her.

Maya takes a sip of her punch, watching her former classmates make fools of themselves on the dance floor to throwbacks of ten-plus years. “How are the runts?” she asks, almost desperate for conversation so not to think about the nostalgia of it all.

Riley chuckles, comfortable in the school she spent half her time anyway. “My _students_ , you mean? They’re great, I really love my job,” she says with that child-like innocence Maya’s always loved.

“I still can’t believe you stole your dad’s job,” Maya says, shaking her head in a mock scold.

Riley’s jaw drops, ready to defend herself. “I did not _steal_ it. It was given to me when he became the principal.”

Maya nods along, straightening out the creases forming on her dark blue dress, then asks, “So, where is your lovely boytoy this evening? I thought he was coming.”

Riley guffaws, saying, “He _is_ coming and he's not my boytoy, peaches. Be nice.”

Maya chuckles and says, “I'm always nice to Zay.”

“Mm, sure. He only ever has the nicest things to say about you,” she retorts sarcastically, knowing the teasing yet loving way her boyfriend and best friend had always interacted.

Maya smiles at the brunette before looking down at her glass. She runs her finger along the rim distractedly as she thinks what she's been thinking since she got the invitation to this damn thing.

“Is he coming?” she asks quietly enough that only Riley hears.

“Is who coming?” Riley asks. At Maya's straight face (a face Riley knew meant the blonde didn't want to showcase her emotions), she nods. “Oh. _Him_. I'm not sure.”

“You're not sure? Don't you two talk?”

“Not in some time. It’s been six months at least.”

Maya's surprised. She knew Riley stopped talking _about_ him to spare her feelings, but she didn't know the brunette had stopped talking _to_ him altogether.

“I stalk him on Instagram often, though.”

Maya laughs softly, shaking her head as she meets Riley's eyes. “So do I,” she whispers back.

* * *

“Maya Hart, aren't you a sight for sore eyes,” announces a confident voice the blonde hadn't heard since college. Riley had kept in touch with the boy-genius, the two sharing lunches whenever their busy schedules allowed for it.

“Farkle, look at you all grown up. Almost as tall as us now,” Maya jokes as she lightly pats his head, which is nearly a foot taller than her. “Just about ready to take over the world, aren’t ya?”

“As sarcastic as ever, Miss Hart,” he remarks fondly. “Glad to see you haven't changed.”

Maya smiles, having missed this boy so very much. “Same to you, dork. Heard about the success your tech company's been having.”

“Hard not to,” inputs another feminine voice.

Maya's head spins around. “Smackle!” she exclaims upon facing her. “Congrats on the Fields Medal! Third woman to have won is quite a feat.”

“Well, same could be said about you, Ms. 100-New-Artists-To-Look-Out-For.”

“Yes, yes, we're all very successful. Izzy, give me a hug! I'm glad you changed your mind about coming tonight,” Riley says, stepping forward to embrace the shorter dark haired girl.

“The fiancé changed it for me.”

“Fiancé?” Maya asks, glancing down at the rock on Isadora’s left ring finger. She follows Isadora’s gaze to the blushing boy beside her. “Farkle! You two are engaged?” she asks happily, pulling the two in a hug. “Riles, why didn't you tell me?”

“Izzy wanted to tell you herself,” Riley shrugs.

Maya smiles between the couple and says, “I'm so happy for you two!”

* * *

Maya waves off another semi-awkward small talk conversation with a fellow graduate and she’s not paying attention when she takes a step back. “Sorry about that, sweetheart,” says the owner of the shoulder she bumps into.

Maya spins around, meeting a familiar smile. “Zay!” she squeals, wrapping her arms around her shoulders.

“Riley told me you were coming and I just had to see it myself.”

“Oh, funny,” she says sarcastically, pulling back with a wide smile on her face. “God, it's so good to see you.”

“Hey, you knew where I was. You could've visited anytime,” he says with a smirk.

She nods, slightly apologetically. “I know I'm not the easiest to keep track of.”

Zay lets out a big laugh, a sound she'd miss greatly. “That's not entirely true. Your art is all over the internet. I even have a print in my living room.”

Maya gasps, “You do?”

“Of course. Just had to have an original Hart on my walls.” She laughs along with him and he sighs contently. “It is good to see you, Maya.” His eyes scan the room quickly before he says, “And I know someone else that would be happy to see you.”

“Yeah, I already saw Smackle and Farkle,” she says pointing a finger over her shoulder at the happy couple dancing horribly to a throwback song.

“I'm not talking about them,” he says seriously.

Maya's smile falls as she stutters out, “He's here?”

“I only bring it up in case you need an escape. I know things didn't end right with you two, and he may be my idiot of a best friend, but you're my friend, too. Just wanted to give you a heads up.”

She nods, forcing a smile to her face. “Thanks, Zay.” She kisses his cheek before she decides, “I need a drink.”

He grabs her wrist before she can go and asks, “Could you point me in the direction of my girlfriend?”

“She's at the snack table, eating all the gummy bears she'd specifically requested.”

Zay chuckles with a nod, waving her off and hoping he did the right thing telling her.

* * *

Zay greets Riley, then goes off to find Lucas who’d just texted his approaching arrival. He finds him walking in the building wearing a suit that actually fits him. “Damn, Friar. Look who cleans up nice,” Zay says, letting out a low whistle.

Lucas shakes his head with a chuckle. “Thanks, bud. Did Riley pick yours out?”

“You know she did,” he quips back, tugging on his lapels. Lucas goes to walk around him, but Zay puts up his hands to stop him. “Hey, remember when I said Maya wouldn't be here? I lied.”

“What?” he asks with wide eyes.

Zay sighs, “You two haven’t seen each other in years. I just want you to get along. You avoid each other at every one of Riley’s get-togethers. I’ve had enough.” Zay pats his back, hoping to knock some sense into his oldest friend. “Listen. Us, five, are the most important people in the world to Riley. And when two of them can’t stand to be in the same room? It upsets her, which upsets _me_.”

Lucas sighs, nodding his head. “I wasn’t thinking about you guys. I’m sorry.” He looks down the dim-lit hallway, wondering if he should just bolt now. “She’s in there?” Zay nods. “How is she?”

He shrugs. “Why don’t you ask her?”

* * *

Maya’s walking back into the gym from the bathrooms when she nearly face plants into a set of shoulders. She looks up and sees those blue eyes for the first time in way too long, but--at the same time--not long enough.

“Huckleberry,” Maya says before she can catch herself.

Lucas smiles, replying without hesitation, “Shortstack.”

Maya smiles back despite herself, leaning up to kiss his cheek and hug him in greeting. “It's been a while.” He holds on a little tighter, seeming to want to hold her a little longer, but lets her go all the same.

“It's been four and a half years,” he corrects her. “But who's keeping track?” he asks rhetorically. “So let's small talk. What's new?”

“You still risking your life on a daily basis?” Lucas looks down, a bitter chuckle leaving his lips. “Then nothing's changed,” she says, turning to the bar.

“Maya--”

“I don't want to do this, Lucas,” she snaps, her tone exhausted. “Okay? Just buy me a drink, and let's go see the friends you haven't in months.”

He looks like he wants to argue, but he decides against it, nodding his head.

* * *

“So,” Lucas says to Maya when the other four of their friend group went off to the dancefloor. “Wanna dance?”

He offers his hand, and to his surprise, she takes it. “I’d love to, Hop-Along,” she says with a smile that almost looks real.

“Where have been the last two years when you weren’t in New York?” he asks as they sway together, but he’s practically walking on eggshells.

“London,” she replies cautiously. “There’s a gallery there that showcases my art.”

It’s a slow song. Maya has her hands on Lucas’ shoulders while he has his hands on her waist. He gets flashbacks to their senior prom in this gym--happier times when he didn’t worry about her running away, or hating him. He supposes he deserves it, but he’s got a lot of hidden anger, too.

He nods, glancing over at how happy Riley and Zay look, and Isadora and Farkle. Suddenly, he can’t take this--dancing with her as though things are fine when all he wants to do is either shout or kiss her, and he can’t decide which is worse.

“I need some air,” he says, hurriedly making his way to the door leading to the empty hallway. Little does he know, she follows him. They reach the quiet hallway and that’s when Lucas hears the quick steps of her shoes on short legs.

“You ended us,” she says those three words she’s wanted to for years, hiding the underlying longing for him. She knows this isn’t the time or place, but she can’t hold it in anymore.

He halts his steps, slowly turning on his heel. There’s anger, and disbelief, and hurt. “No, you walked out,” he says, heatedly pointing a finger at her.

“Because I didn't feel wanted. You chose a stupid job over me.”

“And you didn't do the same?”

She throws her hands on her hips and asks rhetorically, “Do I have any chance of _dying_ in my chosen profession, Lucas?”

“Lead poisoning is still very present within the art community."

She lets out a humourless chuckle, resting her hands on her hips. “It's been four years. If you'd wanted me, you could've reached out sooner.”

“And you could have painted anywhere. You could have painted in Texas. You could have painted in our _home_ , but you chose to go on a freaking African safari with your stepdad for two years. _You_ ended us.”

“I told you I didn't want you riding. I was scared for you, Lucas. No matter how many reassurances you threw my way, I was scared of _losing you_ to the stupidity of beating a record,” she says, continuing even when her voice cracks. “So yes, I ran for the fucking hills because that's what I do.”

“You didn't have to.”

Maya scoffs in disbelief. “You wouldn't have stopped doing what you loved for me because you loved it more than me.”

“That's not true.”

“When push came to shove, what did you pick? A bull... or stopping your girlfriend from leaving the airport at the exact time she told you to if you'd wanted?”

His jaw clenches because he knows the answer. Maya wipes a thumb at her eye before the tear falls and she sighs.

“It was good to see you, Ranger Rick. Let's do this again at the 20th reunion,” she says with that cold sarcasm he’s always hated to be on the receiving end of.

She walks away, and just like last time, he lets her.

* * *

Riley finds Lucas sulking at one of the tables, only a couple dozen people remain of their class and he's starting to upset the others.

“You're scaring people off with your pouting,” she announces as she sits beside him.

He looks up from his half full cup of ginger ale. “I messed up again.”

Riley nods with a light sigh as she pats his forearm. “I figured. Maya texted she was leaving early.”

“You wouldn't be able to tell me where she is, would you?”

“I can't tell you that.” Lucas sighs, nodding his head dejectedly, feeling like he was in high school all over again. “I can't tell you she's staying at the Mountdale Hotel.”

Lucas looks up with furrowed brows.

“And I _certainly_ can't tell you she's in room 3014.”

He smiles at her thankfully, kissing her head before he bolts for the door, promising to owe her one.

* * *

Lucas reaches room 3014, knocking his knuckles over and over until the door opens. Maya's standing there with her dress still on, but her hair's down now. And Lucas doesn't even think before he's planting his lips on hers.

“I'm an idiot and I'm sorry and I love you and I’m an idiot--”

“You said that already,” Maya chuckles.

“That's how much of an idiot I am. Maya Penelope Hart, there's not been a day I didn't wish I'd stopped you at that airport. Not a day. We're not perfect, I know that. But we make it work, we always did. I'll drop riding competitively and maybe run a stable for horses or something, I don't know. I just know I want you with me.”

“Lucas--”

“Please don’t say no. Just come back home,” he says, his voice pleading as he holds her head in his hands.

She sighs, not wanting to give in, but she loves him so much that it physically pains her to see him like this--desperate and begging for a love he thinks could be one-sided.

She rests her forehead against his, her hands on his shoulders. “I can’t be the only one in this, Lucas. You need to be all in.”

He nods quickly, pecking her before he says, “I will be, for you, always.”

She smiles up at him. “I love you, too,” she says against his lips. “I’m sorry I was an asshole.”

“Me, too.”

They kiss again under the low light of a hotel hallway before she pulls him into her room by the collar of his blazer. They decide to work out the rest of their problems in the morning because for now, they were good.

**Author's Note:**

> hope you enjoyed. hit that kudos button if you did :)


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